Sen. Maria Cantwell

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates the week beginning September 11, 2023, as "National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week" to recognize institutions that enroll at least 25% Hispanic students. It directly affects Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), which serve over 5 million students across 28 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The resolution calls for public observance through ceremonies and activities during that week to honor HSIs' role in advancing educational access, economic mobility, and Hispanic Heritage Month. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no binding policy impact but formally acknowledges these institutions' contributions.

Maddy summaryS 2821, the PSA Screening for HIM Act, requires group health plans and individual health insurance issuers to cover prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screenings for high-risk men without out-of-pocket costs. It directly affects men aged 40+ who are at high risk due to being African-American or having a family history of prostate cancer (e.g., a father or brother diagnosed with the disease). The bill amends health coverage rules to mandate this specific screening coverage, effective for plan years starting January 1, 2024. This policy change aims to improve early detection rates, which have near 100% survival when caught early, addressing disparities in prostate cancer outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill ensures Coast Guard personnel receive continued pay and benefits during funding gaps specific to the Coast Guard, without requiring new appropriations. It directly affects all active-duty Coast Guard members (including reserves), qualified civilian employees, and contract workers who perform duties during such gaps. Key provisions mandate payment of military pay, death gratuities, funeral expenses, and housing allowances for dependents of service members who die on duty, using existing funding mechanisms. The law applies only when Coast Guard funding is delayed but Department of Defense funding is secured, preventing service disruptions during government shutdowns. It does not create new benefits but guarantees existing ones remain accessible during Coast Guard-specific funding lapses.

Maddy summaryThe Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act requires employers to provide detailed paystubs showing wage calculations, timely final payments within 14 days of termination, and strengthens workers' ability to recover stolen wages. It increases civil penalties for wage theft violations from $10,000 to $22,030 per employee affected for initial violations, and extends the statute of limitations for wage theft claims from 2-3 years to 4-5 years. The bill creates a $50 million grant program to fund community partnerships that prevent wage theft and assist workers in recovering unpaid wages. These provisions target widespread wage theft that disproportionately affects low-wage workers, women, immigrants, and racial and ethnic minorities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires car manufacturers to include AM radio receivers as standard equipment in all new vehicles sold in the U.S., without additional cost to buyers. It mandates that AM radio controls be clearly visible on the dashboard for drivers. For vehicles sold before the rule takes effect, manufacturers must label them to disclose the absence of AM radio. The bill aims to maintain access to AM radio broadcasts, which are used for emergency alerts, but does not mandate new emergency systems.

Maddy summaryThe TICKET Act requires ticket sellers (both primary issuers and secondary markets like StubHub) to clearly show the total price of an event ticket - including all fees - before a customer selects a ticket. It mandates that sellers display the base ticket price and an itemized list of all fees (like service or delivery charges) in advertisements and at the start of every purchase transaction. Sellers must also disclose if they don’t currently hold the physical tickets (e.g., "speculative" sales) before the customer completes a purchase. This law aims to prevent hidden fees and misleading pricing in ticket sales, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Supreme Court to establish a code of conduct for justices within 180 days of enactment, with public access to these rules on the Court's website. It sets minimum disclosure standards for gifts, income, and reimbursements received by justices and their law clerks, and strengthens recusal requirements when justices have financial ties to parties in cases. The bill creates procedures for filing complaints about justices' conduct and establishes a judicial investigation panel to review such complaints, while also requiring parties and amicus curiae to disclose gifts to justices and lobbying activities related to the nomination of justices. These provisions aim to increase transparency and accountability in Supreme Court operations.

Maddy summaryThis joint resolution designates August 20th as "Slavery Remembrance Day" to commemorate the arrival of the first 20 enslaved Africans at Fort Monroe, Virginia, on August 20, 1619. It encourages all Americans to observe the day through ceremonies and activities to acknowledge slavery's history and its lasting impacts. The resolution is symbolic - requiring no new laws or funding - and asks the President to issue a proclamation urging public observance. It does not directly affect specific groups or alter existing policies.

Maddy summaryThe Women's Retirement Protection Act would require spousal consent for certain distributions from defined contribution retirement plans (like 401(k)s), similar to protections already in place for defined benefit plans. The bill mandates that retirement plans provide written explanations of rights before distributions or beneficiary changes, with a 90-day consent period for spouses. It also creates two new grant programs: $100 million annually to improve financial literacy for women and $100 million for low-income women and domestic violence survivors to access retirement assets through divorce settlements. These provisions would directly affect women in workplace retirement plans, particularly those in defined contribution plans who currently lack spousal protections. The bill focuses on concrete changes to retirement plan rules rather than altering Social Security benefits.

Maddy summaryThe Better CARE for Animals Act of 2023 strengthens enforcement of the existing Animal Welfare Act by requiring dealers and exhibitors to maintain valid licenses for animal sales or transport. It expands enforcement authority for both the USDA and the Attorney General to pursue civil penalties (up to $10,000 per violation per day), seize animals in violation cases, and use penalty funds to cover temporary care costs for animals during legal proceedings. The bill also clarifies that enforcement applies to rules and regulations under the Act, and mandates a new coordination agreement between the USDA and DOJ to address repeat violators. These changes directly affect animal dealers, exhibitors, and federal enforcement agencies, improving accountability for animal welfare violations.